Hi,
i say this to help others who are starting out and look to ebay for fig plants.
Just be careful who you purchase from as you may or may not be getting what is up for bid. It has happened to me and i imagine other forum members.
Recently i have seen some fig plants up for bid on ebay and looked at their feedback and among there feedback was  MiFig4Fun saying "thanks for the purchase" as some forum members know this person has caused problems including me in regards to fig plants.
Now the person with fig plants up for bid on Ebay now probably has no idea about MiFig4Fun whom they must have bought from on Ebay to get that feedback so im not saying they are dishonest, matter of fact probably a good person , all im saying is things happen unknowningly and be careful as plants are a lot of work and in a year or two to find out a plant bought is not what was advertised is very discouraging.

Thanks Martin for the heads up.

I tried to look at the feedback on the other eBay seller names for this person. eBay eat this info... It's all gone now.  I see that Pitangadiego sold some cuttings to them this year. 

Is it a common thing for people to sell plants on eBay and write they never have gotten a fig from the parent plant? Maybe one plant, but they had four different varieties and they wrote this comment on all of them auctions. Makes wonder why you would buy this plant if it never bears fruit anytime soon. I'm to impatient to wait more than a few years for fruit. I wish Figs4fun has an endorsement program to help newbies like me stay away from people like mifig4fun.

Thank you Martin.

My best bet is to deal with people we know on this forum. I guess most of us know who the f4f ebay sellers are...

thanks Martin

NHardy, the person selling the figs on ebay is ok i talked with him and recognize name as i thought. Some of his trees came from Canada not sure about the others as i did not ask about all of them but maybe some from MiFig4Fun as his name was in the feedback i read. Its MiFig4fun thats the problem, and i will post pictures soon of what i thought i bought and what a real one actually is. 

Nhardy i know what you mean about them never eating a ripe fig from the tree, thats because they get a plant and propagate some and sell on ebay to make a buck and use a description off some others website. While forum members know what the tree does in there climate and how the fig taste and so forth Herman who im sure does not mind me mention his name knows what he sells he knows them very well as he trials them for years right at his place, one cannot get a better feel than that.

Many folks unknowningly bought from MiFig4Fun in past me included (luckily only 1) and i can see one day in a few years them posting " what type is this"
so i just try to help here and say buy from someone you can trust or at least ask them where they obtained the plant or mother tree from and they should understand your concerns if not move on. There are some members here that sell on ebay an are very trustworthy Jon being one, the moderator and owner of website he is excellent to get scion from in the winter time.
Tmc, yup his plant arrive perfect package and quickly and being healthy, just not what it was supposed to be.
Any questions just send me message as i dont want to sound like a broken record.

The listing on ebay is my own. I have not put a single thing that I got from mifig4fun since I learned after the fact about what mifig4fun is about, nor do I ever intend too. What ever cuttings I got from im assuming to be a complete loss. I can name all the sources of my cuttings if anyone is interested.  Ill answer all the questions I see here in just a sec. 

Martin, where else have you posted?  I already responded to your post in Gardenweb.  I want to defend myself.  Thanks!

The sources of my plants are Joe Morle, Adrianos of Canada, Figs4fun (not mifig4fun), Edible landscaping and a friend of mine.  I have one unknown from Willis orchard and its posted that way. 

In fact all the trees I have from Willis Orchard are the same and not the right variety.  I had to argue a bit with them but they sent me replacaments which again, were not the variety.  I lost alot more $$$ to Willis than Mifig4fun, thats for sure.  Pretty dissapointing. 

The only guys I would buy on ebay would be from 2 gentlemen from NJ & Jon of CA. Its just not worth taking the risk after spending so many years to nurse a variant & to discover it is something else.

Last Nov '08 I had someone write me from Franklin, MI wanting to trade and I am now regretting that I did trade with that person. This person is  NOT a regular guy in the forum & as far as my knowledge regarding the 2 variants(Sal's-Gene & P.Negri) I got, their leaf shape is nothing close to what I have seen. Time will tell what I got. Meanwhile everytime I look at those plants from FRANKLIN, MI -- I feel like sending the fig Mafia. Its just not worth it. A few extra dollars to the right source is worth its weight in expectations. Also, many thanks to Jon for replacing a plant for free when he found out that it died. There was no need to but that is what one gets when it is from a good source.

Arigato,
i hope you understand that im not saying anything bad about you this is why i never mentioned names only 1 and thats the person that i had problems with.
I see you had feedback from him which is open for all to read on ebay even my feedback .
Your another person amongst many that had a transaction with him including me that went sour as for the fig mafia i agree as i thru out his address because Mich is not far from me. Forty three dollars of hard earn money made me mad.
Recently another fig forum member i message about a fig tree and he said he had 2 1 extra that he would sell me and i asked its source and once again it came directly from him .
I still have this plant from MY dealings with him and im going to post pictures of it next to the real Madeira Black that was shown on this forum that originally came from UcDavis as scion and this person was lcuky enough to get 3 or 4 to grow and posted there pictures i will post that 1 which is real and the one which is not .
Like i said i can see in future as forum grows and we post cultivars and some forum members that have dealt with him saying "mine looks nothing like that".
If by chance i insulted you in anyway i apoligize truly im just trying to point this guy out as a disgrace to the many forum members in good standing and i hope there are no hard feelings we both suffered from this guy and many more will realize it as well when they read this.
Best Season

Martin -- I had a forum member email stating his friend dealings & raved about the great service & what he got. This friend would not listen to good advise on cautioned. Well, with time his friend found the bitter truth & certainly no more nice words.
Your thread is a timely caution & thanks for sharing your experience.

Martin,

Dont worry about apologizing i know that you are just looking out for folks.  Check your inbox, I sent you a longer email.

Dan, have you got pictures of the fruit from 143-36?  I can say that particular fig is easily my best grower and I've pinched it all out (all 8 stems) and am awaiting fruit (hopefully before my summer ends)....They're just little twin bumps as of now.

I've met two other fig people (that we know here) from this area (I'm in Michigan).  I've had the (mis) fortune of meeting mifig4fun as well as another local named Rob (good guy, though I can't recall his exact  name here) .  I too have a fig from mifig4fun and once I can I am hoping to compare mature leaves from it and from the rooted variety of the same type I got this spring.  Time will tell, but I am not holding out hope.  I plan on taking Herman's method of dealing with figs (3 years and then you're out...this year is Calvert and a couple others last chances..)

~Chills

Hello Group,

I too have purchased trees from Mifigsforfun and receieved nice looking, well packed plants as mentioned by another member of this group. I bought 3 trees, Balgalhouce, Pingo de Mel and Black Madeira. I am very saddened to hear of problems with this person as the brief communications I had were very positive and pleasant. I purchased these trees last year so have not had figs to eat yet. So from what I'ver read so far, it seems that the big problem is mis-identification of the trees. That's a big problem!! That means it is probable that what I have are not as named and I spent a lot of money on Lord knows what!! Not a pleasant thought!! I'd like to believe, as was also mentioned, that the mis-identification was not done intentionally, but rather was in error! Of the 3 trees, the one named Bagalhouce is producing figlets, the other 2 are not, but seem to be putting on good growth. I have also purchased trees from others who post on this list and all of those are doing very well, in fact all are producing figlets now and some did so last year. Since they are members of this very knowledgeable group my confidence in each of these sellers is very good, but now I am concerned about the subject non member!! Thanks for giving me the heads up on that one Deisler!! Time will tell just what the heck I have here with these 3 trees! Guess I better shop for another Black Maderia!!  Very disappointing to invest the time and money to grow these on and then have the possibility of them not being as advertised!!      

Mifigs4fun IS A Member here.

BLB,
if you can and like post pictures of your Madeira the leaves in general.